Loose-leaf binder



Nov. 9, 1948.

E. E. HARPER LOOSE-ILEAF BINDER Filed July 1e, 1945 INVENTOR.. @man 5. #af/'0er Y #MSM /4 eyecuf-n'}/, 5)/

Patented Nov. 9, 1948 LOOSE-:LEAFBINDER Elmer E. Harper, deceased, late of Monrovia, ardee Harper executrix,

Calif.; rby Esther P Monrovia, Calif.

ApplicationJuly 1c, isiaserial Neonazis@ The present invention relates to loose-leaf` binder devices, and -aims `to simplify very materially the construction of loose-leaf ,holders of this class and to providea correspondingly inexpensive constructionwhich `will at the same time be more convenient for-use aswell as adapted for i `a wider range of usethan mostof the conventional `forms of binderconstruction.

For this purpose Ythe present invention comprises a holder providing space `for the insertion and assembly of the margins ofthe `loose leaf material, and eicient clamping elements for securing said margins in place and adapted to be retained in clamping position by being compressed wthin the space inside the holder.`

'In the carrying out of the invention the holder is constructed in channel formto providea channel shaped receiving space of va length correspending to the size of the sheets of loose leaf materialV having their marginalportions clamped therein, and the clamping elements are secured by being pressed between said sheets `of material andone of the walls 4ofcsaid channel space. The invention further comprises the use of curved spring clamping elements so arranged as 4to `facilitate therassembly of 'the-loose `leaf material as their marginal portions are inserted into binding position and before the clamping and securingaction is carried out by forcing said curved spring elements intoiiattened clamping relationwithin the holder.

It is also sought to 'devise a, practical holder or binder device which isf-adapted to be readily designed for clamping and holding engagement with either the sides or the ends of the sheets of loose leaf material, in equally eiiicient binder relation.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating one practical form of construction for embodying the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth andclaimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan view (with portions represented as broken away) illustrating a loose leaf binder construction embodying the present features of improvement, the dotted lines indicating the open or unclamping position of the spring clamping elements;

Figure 2 is a side edge view of the same, with dotted lines illustrating the open position of one of the clamping elements for permitting the removal or insertion of the loose leaf material;

2 claims. (C1. 129-35) 2 `Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View, representing a `section takenon 'the line3--3 of Fig- Figure 4 san enlarged detail sectional view, representinga section taken on the line 4--4 of Figurel; and i 1 i Figure `5 :is a fragmentary plan View (partly `broken away) illustrating a modified type of clamping element.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the holder part of the improved constructionis illustrated as an elongated section vof suitable sheet material of suitable stiffness or rigidity, such as metal or plastic material, shaped .into channel form having the top wall l and bottom ywalli, connected by a flat longitudinal wall `lll, thus providing a housing space I2 for receivingthemargins of the sheets of paper i4 or the like to be bound, and adapted to be inserted within said space l2: into end-abutting relation with :theinner'face of the wall EB, as clearlyillustrated `-in'ligure 4. Preferably the ends of the housing .space IZ .are closed by turningin the ends of the holder, as indicated at i 5 in Figure 2.

Curved spring devices, on the order of lcurved leaf springs i6, are provided to serve as clamping .elements by engaging the margins of the sheet material |14 and securing the same by clamping action within the holder space i2. Obviously these curved clamping springs I6 may be used singly or in multiples, as for example, in pairs -asillustrated in the drawing, with one end of the spring pivotally attached-as indicated at |8-to the top wall 'l and its other end provided With a button 20 or thumb-engaging terminal adapted to swing into and out of a recess 22 in said upper wall l, when necessary for inserting or removing sheets of the material lli. Each of the re cesses 22 has one of its outer corners formed with a barblike projection 2t adapted for engagement with the side of the spring near its end for retaining the same in its operative or binding position, as clearly represented in Figures 1 and 4.

A` sheet of relatively heavier material 25 may be employed to serve as a backing sheet for the sheets I4 and either attached or left unattached to the holder member, and this material 25 may of course be either stiff or flexible as preferred, and in some cases may be a continuous sheety extending both above and below the assembly of inserted sheets ill, as indicated in Figure 4.

For inserting the loose leaf material, the ends v of the clamping springs it are simply depressed and swung outward from engagement with the 3 detents 24 and into open position as represented by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2; and it Will be readily seen that the upwardly extending and curved contour of the springs, in their open position, provide an emcient guiding means for facilitating the insertion of the sheet material and directing the same into the holder space |2 for clamping engagement by the springs as the latter are swung back again within the holder and re-engaged with the detent barbs 24. The spring elements I6 are of course simply operated by thumb pressure and a pushing movement, in both the clamping and unclamping action, 'as required for either inserting or removing the loose leaf material from the holder.

It will thus bs seen that the improved device provides a very compact and extremely simple construction for the carrying out of the desired objects of the invention. The combined holder and means for clamping the sheets provides a maximum holding and binding capacity for the sheets or loose-leaf material, greatly exceeding that of the prevailing or conventional type of 'split-ring binder, and has the important advantage of eliminating any necessity for punching or Moreover the sheets are securely held and the clamping and unclamping means iseasily and quickly operated with a minimum of eiort, simply by thumb pressure and the operation of onehand.

`The ease of inserting the sheets as facilitated by the guiding action of the open curved springs greatly enhances the utility of the improved holder, and such method of insertion safeguards the sheets also against the mutilitation so commonly experienced with split'rings and other forms of retaining devices for loose leaf material. Again, with the slim channel type of holder of the prespivoted at I8 by the use of an attaching clip I9, and provided with a plain thumb-engaging terminal 2B', as shown.

It will therefore be apparent thatv a Very compact and practical as well as highly efcient arrangement and construction have been devised forgthe embodiment of the proposed improvements, and While one very serviceable form of such construction has been herein described and set forth, it is desired to reserve the right to make Whatever changes or modifications thereof may properly be deemed to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Y Patent is:

clamping space for the margins of loose leaf mal terial, a curved spring element pivoted within said 'clamping space to one side ofthe holder `and having swinging movementY out of said space into a position at substantially right angles to the holder `to permit insertionor removal of the-loose leaf material and provide guiding' means of curved contour for facilitating said insertion of the loose ent construction, an especially compact arrangel ment is made possible'by the use of fi'exiblecover or backing material, thereby allowing the complete device with all its contents to be simply folded or rolled into a very compact formfor pocket use.

Also as hereinbefore pointed out, the holder of the present construction is equally well adapted for application to either the ends of the sheets I4 or to the side margins thereof as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5.

'In Figure 5 is illustrated a slightly modified form of the clamping elements, for which a curved' wire clamp element It may be used in lieu of the leaf spring types I6, such wire elements being leaf material andalso having swinging movement into said space to be compressed by the holder into pressure retaining engagement with said material after the insertion-thereof.

2. A loose leaf binder construction comprising, an elongated channel. shaped holder providing a clamping space for the margins of loose leaf material, and curved spring elements mount- Ved pivotally on said holder for movement into either a position outside said space or an operative clamping position within said clamping space for pressure clamping engagement with said loose leaf material, said holder being provided with recessesfor access to the ends of said curved spring elements and having detent means for retaining said springgelements in operative clamping position;

ESTHER PARDEEVHARPER.

.Executrz' of Estate of Elmer E. Harper, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

